Priyesh Bathia, a global account manager, hopes to turn his cocktail venture into a national brand, with plans to see his cocktail and mocktail products on supermarket shelves and expand his mobile cocktail bar.
The BBC One competition returns for its 20th series later this month and will see 20 candidates battle it out for a £250,000 investment and a 50/50 business partnership with Lord Alan Sugar.
Mr Bathia described himself as “the perfect mix of charm and hustle who’s confident, quick-thinking, and not afraid to get stuck in.”
Contestants will take on a series of business challenges over 12 episodes, including creating a children’s book, selling live on TV, and hosting a corporate away day in El Gouna, Egypt.
Speaking about the show’s success over two decades, Lord Sugar said: “It is an amazing milestone.
“When we started recording this series, you start to think to yourself, ‘Wow, this is 20 years now.’ What’s amazing, of course, is Tim Campbell is now one of my advisors, and he was the one that won it in the very first series, so it’s full circle, in a great way.”
Since its launch in 2005, The Apprentice has shifted from offering a £100,000 job with Lord Sugar to a business partnership model, with candidates now competing for a £250,000 investment.
Baroness Karren Brady, vice-chairman of West Ham United and one of Lord Sugar’s advisers, said: “I think it’s incredible to think we’ve reached the 20th series. That’s a real milestone for any television show.
“And I think it speaks volumes about the strength of The Apprentice as a format and as a brand, two decades on, it’s still entertaining, it’s still competitive, and actually it’s still as relevant as ever.”
She also highlighted the show’s real-world impact. Baroness Brady said: “It’s not just about great TV, but it’s launched real businesses with real success stories. I think we’ve helped shine a light on ambition, hard work, and resilience, qualities that are more important now than ever before.”
